Putting aside the S5 Pro's price, how does it compare to the D200 - and to the wider DLSR market as a whole?

The answer is far from simple, but as I've mentioned throughout this review it will depend entirely on what's important to you and the kind of pictures you take. The amazing dynamic range and superb skin tones alone are enough reason for wedding and portrait photographers to consider it seriously. But it's not only about dynamic range; Fujifilm really can do color well (guess all those decades making Fujichrome help there), high ISO performance is better than the D200 (though don't expect miracles) and the out of camera JPEGs are probably the best you'll see from any digital SLR at this level. You have to be prepared to do some work if you shoot at high D-range settings because the output can look flat and dull, but that's simply because these JPEGs give you more headroom to play with levels, curves and color than just about any I've ever seen.

On the other hand there are some 'issues'; continuous shooting / buffering when taking advantage of the expanded dynamic range is pretty limiting and the raw files are huge (and don't play well with non-Fuji raw converter). The resolution / detail - whilst good for a 6MP camera - is nowhere near 12 megapixel's worth, and if you need really crisp results for big enlargements this isn't the best choice. As mentioned earlier this is a camera for those who value tonality and color over biting sharpness or speed.

One thing is certain: the S5 Pro is a huge improvement on its predecessor - it's a far, far better camera and it produces better, cleaner output with fewer artefacts and slightly better detail. Everything from metering to focus to noise reduction to the interface and speed of operation has improved significantly. Sure, most of this is Nikon's work, but Fuji should get some recognition for continuing to improve Super CCD output with every generation of its professional camera - even if there are still areas we're still not totally happy with.

Ultimately it's hard to wholeheartedly recommend a 6MP camera that costs $1900 when you can get exactly the same model with 10 megapixels (and better continuous shooting) for quite a lot less. Of course no one is going to buy the S5 Pro for its resolution, nor are they likely to be swayed by a few hundred dollars. And you need to be producing serious enlargements to see the D200's sharpness advantage, whereas you can see the S5 Pro's DR advantage and great color even in a postcard print. It's not for everyone, but for studio work, portraits and demanding dynamic range work (such as weddings) it fits a sizeable niche perfectly.

The qualities that many users find so attractive in the S5 Pro's output might not all be as immediate, tangible - or quantifiable - as the dynamic range graphs, and you need to be prepared to tailor the settings and put some work into post processing to get the most out of the results, but Fujifilm should be applauded for offering Nikon users a very different approach to image quality.